PLA Notes CD-ROM 1988-2001 1 Participatory Rural Appraisal and Participatory Learning methods: recent experiences from Myrada and South India

Document begins: PLA Notes CD-ROM 1988­2001 1 Participatory Rural Appraisal and Participatory Learning methods: recent experiences from Myrada and South India James Mascarenhas About MYRADA conclusion that `Rapid' cannot be `Participatory'. MYRADA is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) which has been involved in rural Prominent features of MYRADA's style of development since 1968. It works in functioning are: approximately 2,000 villages in South India, in · its emphasis on the participation of village the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and people in their own development; and Tamil Nadu. MYRADA initially started as an organisation which resettled refugees from · its active and ongoing presence in a Tibet. Since then its role has expanded and defined rural area not as `patron' and today it has six major programme thrusts: `benefactor' but as `catalyst' and `partner' in development. · Participative resource development and management projects (particularly in semi- What was required was a method which did arid areas). These include wastelands and not stop just at `Appraisal', but which went watershed development programmes; beyond it into a shared analysis and · Resettlement and rehabilitation of released understanding of rural situations. This, in turn bonded labour and landless families; should lead to developmental activities ...